Walking Tours of London with an Expert

TBEX ’10 is less than a month away (June 26 & 27 in New York City) and Contex, a company which offers walking tours in various cities across the globe, is inviting attendees to participate on a tour of a specific area of the city. I’m hoping to be one of the lucky ones because after checking out their website and learning more about the company, it’s definitely my kind of tour.

Tours, or I should say “seminars,” are intimate (group tours accommodate up to six people; private tours are available, too) and led by specialists with interests in specific activities as archaeology, cuisine and environmental science. From what I understand these tours/seminars are a participatory experience and focus on specific topics. These tours are not for travelers who want to be talked at but for those who want to interact, ask questions and learn.

Outside Tower of London on a Cold and Rainy Night, Feb. 2005

As I browsed the Context website I noticed they offer walking tours of London which reminded me of one of my last trips to the U.K. which included a tour of the Tower of London on a very cold and wet English evening (notice the photo, I’m smiling through chattering teeth). It was extremely cool being in the hub of history but there were too many people on the tour making it difficult to hear. At the time I was in my shy phase and intimidated to ask a question. A very brief visit to the British Museum was included during that trip and suspect if I would have participated on one of Context’s London walking tours, my experience would have been enriched with a better appreciation of what I was seeing.

I Love Posing with Statues! London, Feb. 2005

I’m hoping a Contex New York City walking seminar is in my upcoming travel itinerary. Better yet, I hope one across the Pond is in my future. My last two international trips have been canceled and I’m due an international flight. Hmm…stay tuned.

Originally from Buffalo, N.Y., a hiking trail led Jennifer Huber, aka: Solo Travel Girl, to a career path in tourism. She has worked in the tourism industry for more than 20 years including 10 years with a park management company in Yellowstone, Death Valley and Everglades National Park. She currently lives in Southwest Florida, and maintains this travel blog with the goal of inspiring others to travel alone, not lonely.